Sutton Valence School
The School Sutton Valence School was founded in 1576 by William Lambe, a gentleman of the court of King Henry VIII and a renowned philanthropist. His love of learning led to the founding of the School at his own expense, for the provision of a free education to the local youth. At the heart of Kent, the School is academically successful with a growing reputation for offering life-changing opportunities within a strong community. While the School continues to grow and develop, we remain dedicated to that community-based ethos. Without an endowment it is difficult to increase the availability of financial support from which children can benefit. The provision of bursaries widens educational opportunity to children from a greater range of backgrounds, thus continuing to enrich our community. As part of the legacy that William Lambe worked so hard to achieve, we continue to value the importance of being inclusive and accessible to deserving children in the local area.
The 1576 Fund Over the past decade, the School’s development has been significantly supported by the generosity of the Old Suttonian community through the Annual Fund. At the end of last year, the decision was taken to end that appeal and replace it with a new campaign set up exclusively for bursaries. The bursary fund will strike a chord with many, especially those who attended Sutton Valence as beneficiaries of Kent Education Committee Places or the Assisted Places Scheme. These offered bright children the chance of a superb education, irrespective of their parents’ financial circumstances.
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One does not fully appreciate what a good environment Sutton Valence provides for the development of young individuals, both spiritually and academically, until it is but a dazzling pair of headlights fading in the rear-view mirror. Finally emerging after A levels, it became obvious to me that the School’s strengths lay not in its sporting prowess, not in its ‘most improved league table records’, nor even in its splendid surroundings, but rather in the very special way that the School accepted and encouraged individuals by providing a unique environment in which pupils could study at the highest level. I feel proud that an assisted place enabled me to attend a school which treated each individual according to his merits and weaknesses.
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Alex Mansfield (1997 W)
Now, in the absence of this support, the 1576 Fund will be vital in preserving the mixture of academic and co-curricular excellence with the diverse community that is at the heart of the School’s educational ethos. The proposal is to offer more bursaries, up to the value of 50 per cent of the fees. In order to do so, the School needs your support to continue to assist those who will make a real difference to life at Sutton Valence and who, like you, will gain value from being here. Your gift will be your legacy to the future.
Targets As part of the Sutton Valence family, we hope that you will support the 1576 Fund as a chance to bestow others with the same opportunity that you enjoyed at the School. The 1576 Fund appeal will be at a relatively low level; a high proportion of affordable gifts, preferably given regularly over three years, underpinned by some major gifts. We already have £130,000 pledged and hope to raise £500,000 by the end of 2018. In the final year of the Annual Fund, the School received gifts ranging from £5 to £15,000 from around 3.5 per cent of our alumni. Our goal is to increase this proportion over the next three years, simply because many gifts combine to create greater sums. Every gift matters: we ask that all Old Suttonians support the School as generously as they feel able. Not only will this help the School plan, but maximise giving over the period.
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The 1576 Fund aims to provide opportunities for deserving children to benefit from a Sutton Valence education. An education that is not purely about academic success, but about nurturing confident, charming, self-disciplined young adults with all the skills to succeed in life. For as little as the cost of a weekly cup of coffee donated over time, your sustained generosity would contribute towards enriching young peoples’ lives and enhancing their futures. Please consider giving whatever you can for as long as you can. Bruce Grindlay, Headmaster
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Early in the 1960s, when I was 14 years old, my family moved to Warmlake. I expected to go to Maidstone Grammar, but my parents were told that there was a KEC funded place at the School and the decision was made that that was where I would go.
Desmond High (1973 F) Former OSA Chairman
After a short period of adjustment, and much to my surprise, I started to thrive both academically and in sports. Without really realising it, I gained in self-confidence and learnt how to be part of and lead teams; in short a truly all-encompassing education. SVS turned my life around. To this day I remain convinced that if that place had not been available, I would not be in the position I am today, doing a worthwhile and rewarding job.
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Roger Baker (1968 F)
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It is impossible to know what direction my life might have taken had the KCC not provided a full Scholarship for me to attend SVS, as an alternative to a grammar school place in 1965. The one thing that differed from a grammar school education was the amount of extra curricular activity and, particularly, sport that we were offered. I was able to develop as a player in a way that I cannot possibly imagine could have happened elsewhere. I learned a huge amount from dedicated masters such as Edward “Tubby” Craven, Bob Chance and Graham Able, who created opportunities for a rather shy lad to flourish.
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The Venerable Amaro Bhikkhu (1973 F)
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As a Buddhist, I cannot count myself a worldly success in terms of my wealth, but that should not indicate that my education at SVS was an utter waste of time. As the years have gone by, it has become clear to me that many of the lessons I learned at Sutton Valence have been of inestimable worth. Those lessons came both in the classroom and on the playing field.
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I appreciate the fact that I was only able attend the School since I qualified as a Kent Education Committee Scholar. Without that, I would never have benefitted from the excellent education I had. I put my hands together, as we do in our Buddhist custom and say “Anumodana” – I rejoice in the good that has been done.
There was a breadth of opportunity available both within and outside of the curriculum but what made the experience special was the fact that the staff were not only dedicated and rigorous but they were also human and forgiving; a vital mix when dealing with young people. For all of this I am so extremely grateful. Dr. Andrew Betts (1977 F)
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I was at Sutton Valence during the seventies, an odd time, but this marvellous institution provided the context for an education which embraced modernity at the same time as quietly preserving and promoting traditional values. There were three or four of us with KEC grants and we were all very fortunate to be allowed to thrive in this environment.
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Donor Recognition To thank donors and recognise their commitment to supporting the School, we have established the following levels of recognition: Sponsors Donors who left the School after 1998 giving £15.76 per year will receive recognition in the yearly report. Members Donors giving in excess of £157.60 per year will receive recognition in the yearly report and a lapel pin to mark their generosity. Benefactors Donors giving in excess of £1576 per year will receive recognition in the yearly report and on the donor board, which will be displayed in a prominent position in the School. In addition, they will receive a lapel pin and an invitation to an exclusive annual dinner. Patrons Donors giving in excess of £5000 per year will receive recognition in the yearly report and on the donor board, which will be displayed in a prominent position in the School. In addition, they will receive a lapel pin and an invitation to a private dinner with the Headmaster and School Governors.
With current day pupil fees set at £19,980, the 1576 Fund would aim to provide up to 50% bursaries. Based on 50% of current day fees, a single bursary could be achieved by: making donations go further
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If you are a UK tax payer you can Gift Aid your donations, making them worth 25% more to us, at no extra cost to you. We can claim back the tax you have paid on your donation (25p for every £1 you donate) through Gift Aid. This additional income really does make a big difference, so please don’t forget to Gift Aid donations if you are a UK tax payer. If you are a higher-rate tax payer you can also claim additional tax relief. For higher rate tax payers (paying tax at 40%) this works out as 25p for every £1 you donate and for the highest rate tax payers (paying tax at 50%) this equates to 37.5p for every £1 you donate.
people giving £15.76 per month
16
people giving or £157.60 per quarter
7
or
people giving £1576 per year
The Old Suttonian community now numbers over 5000, collectively you could make a significant difference:
9 If every Old Suttonian was able to give a one-off donation of £15.76, we would be able to fund 9 pupils per year with a maximum bursary
35 or
If every Old Suttonian was able to give a quarterly donation of £15.76, we would be able to fund 35 pupils per year with a maximum bursary.
" Support the 1576 Fund I [Full Name] ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... would like to donate by: 1. AN ONLINE DONATION (ONE OFF OR RECURRING): Donate securely online via https://svs.org.uk/1576fund 2. A REGULAR DONATION BY STANDING ORDER: I would like to make regular payments by Standing Order. Name and address of bank
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Sort Code:
Account Number:
Please pay the sum of £ .................................................................. per month/quarter/year [delete as appropriate] with the date of the first payment .................................................................................... until further notice to ‘SVS General Charitable Trust’, NatWest, Account Number: 01824260 Sort Code: 53-81-51
3. A ONE-OFF DONATION BY CHEQUE: I would like to make a single donation by cheque of: £15.76
£157.60
£1576.00
Other: ..............................................
Please make cheques payable to ‘SVS General Charitable Trust’ with your full name written on the reverse. Signature:
Date: Please turn over to make your Gift Aid Declaration Please return this form using the Freepost envelope supplied.
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Old Suttonians never fail to impress with their generosity and selflessness. Irrespective of their academic achievement or business success, the hallmark of an Old Suttonian is their confidence without arrogance and ability to deal with adversity with fortitude and kindness. Your support for the 1576 Fund will ensure that we can continue to educate those who are truly deserving of our help.
David Pickard
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Old Suttonians’ Association Honorary Secretary
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Gift Aid Declaration, SVS General Charitable Trust Please treat as Gift Aid donations all qualifying gifts of money made: Today
In the past 4 years
In the future
(tick all boxes applicable) I confirm that I have paid or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for each year (6 April to 5 April) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities or Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for that tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. I understand the charity will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I donate. Please notify the charity if you: • Want to cancel this donation; • Change your name or home address; • No longer pay sufficient tax on your income and/or capital gains. Full Name: ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Address: .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Telephone Number: ................................................................................................................. Email Address: ........................................................................................................................................................................ Signature:
Date:
Old Suttonians remain the lifeblood of Sutton Valence’s rich history. While the School continues to adapt and develop, the cornerstones that underpin its success remain the same: academic excellence, leadership, co-curricular involvement and the importance of community. The 1576 Fund will help to retain those values and ensure they continue to thrive and benefit future generations, in the same way they benefitted you. We thank you for your continued support.
Sutton Valence School, North Street, Sutton Valence, Kent, ME17 3HL T: +44 (0)1622 845241
F: +44 (0)1622 844103
E: development@svs.org.uk